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This is a rather long story, but worth the read. Please read all the way to the end.
The Crucible
by Ruth E. McDaniel
Sam Levine was just walking past the alcove where one of the telephones was located when it rang. He waved the maid away with a flick of his well-manicured hand and answered it, himself.
"This is the Levine residence," he announced impatiently, expecting to hear the slightly nasal voice of his new vice president on the other end. He could feel his blood pressure going up. Couldn't he even take one day off without receiving a panic call?
"Dad? Hello! I wasn't expecting you to answer the phone. This is Brad!"
Sam's flushed face returned to its normal shade, and he felt a sudden surge of pride as the image of his strong, handsome son came to mind. Brad had inherited the thick curly hair, broad shoulders, and enviable height of five generations of Levine men, and he had his mother's warm complexion and deep blue eyes. He was a son any father could be proud of! When he graduated from the military academy, he was so striking in his uniform that all eyes were focused on him. Everyone who was anyone knew that Brad Levine would go far...whether it was through the military ranks, or following his father's footsteps in banking.
"Where are you, son?!
"I'm in Maryland, at the moment."
"I didn't know you were back in the States! Are you on leave?"
"In a manner of speaking..."
"That's wonderful news! If I know your mother, she'll have a large 'Welcome Home!' party planned at the club within hours."
"I'd rather she didn't..."Brad began, then he took a deep breath and started over. "I might be coming home in the next two weeks, and I'd like to bring a friend with me, if that's all right with you and Mom."
"Of course, son! We have plenty of room! You know your friends are always welcome...especially bright, young officers. Does he plan tennis or golf? We could set up a foursome. I'll call Upjohn and ask him to reserve some time..."
"Wait, Dad! I think I should explain...my friend was severely injured during our last tour of duty."
Sam's eyebrows came together in a sudden frown. "You want to bring someone home with you who has medical problems?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, then Brad said, quietly, "Yes, sir."
"Well...what exactly do you mean when you say that your friend was 'severely injured'?"
With barely a pause, Brad replied, "He stepped on a land mine. Now, he's blind, badly burned...and both of his legs have been amputated."
"Are you out of your mind?" Sam exploded. "Why...he would need round-the-clock care! We'd have to hire a nurse! How would you entertain him? He'd have to stay in the house...and, what about your mother's bridge club? How would people react to him? Why, he would make them...all of us...extremely uncomfortable!"
"No...I'm sorry, Brad, but it's impossible! You just haven't thought this thing through. Your friend should stay in the hospital where he belongs! After all, he's the military's responsibility, not ours."
After another long silence, Brad said, "I'm sorry you feel that way, Dad." Without another word, he hung up.
Sam shook his head in disbelief and replaced the receiver. How could an intelligent person like Brad even think of such an idea? They rarely heard from their only son, and then, he calls with this outlandish plan! Well, once he thought it over, he'd see that his father was right!
"Disfigured, you say?" Brad's mother's eyes widened in shock, after hearing about her son's request. "How ghastly! I agree with you, of course...the boy needs to remain at the hospital. I can't imagine Brad wanting to bring home a...'deformed' person! I feel sorry for him, of course, but what on earth would we 'do' with him? Brad certainly couldn't introduce him to his friends...or, take him anywhere!"
As the weeks and months passed and Brad didn't write, call, or come home, his parents shrugged off their concern, saying, "He's just being unreasonable. One day, he'll understand!"
The, they received another phone call.
This time, the caller was Brad's commanding officer. He was calling to inform them that their son had died.
"Died! How? What happened?" Stunned, Sam clutched the telephone to his ear as the voice droned on about 'heart failure' and 'complications.' The one message he comprehended was that his son's body was being shipped home by plane. It would arrive the next afternoon.
The dazed, grief-stricken parents accompanied their son's coffin from the airport to the funeral home.
"We'd like a private showing, before the service begins," they told the funeral director, once the arrangements had been made. They wanted to see their son's strong, handsome face, one more time, before his internment.
The lid was slowly raised. The funeral director stood before the open coffin for a long time, then, he finally stepped back and nodded to the Levines.
Hand-in-hand, Brad's parents approached the coffin and looked down upon their son, who was....blind, badly burned, and a double amputee!
This is a story that I found, loved and wanted to share. I do not know the author, but have given her credit. This story is copyrighted by the author,
Ruth E. McDaniel in 1993
